2023 Sidney Licht Lectureship Award: toward advancing rehabilitation outcomes for people with spinal cord injury through clinical research, practice, and leadership

Background: This article presents the 2023 Sidney Licht Lecture, exploring the nexus between clinical practice development, research, engagement, and leadership activities in rehabilitation. Methods: Contemporary thoughts and insights are provided about clinical practice, featuring new concepts, tools, and models of care for spinal cord injury. Results: The underlying premise is that the rehabilitation environments in which we work provide ample opportunity to create a culture of continuous learning through research and innovation. Conclusions: The role of a clinical academic in rehabilitation medicine is promoted, along with the need for investing in rehabilitation research and innovation, including capacity-building for rehabilitation policy and systems research.